Starting Off Wrong [𝐠𝐱𝐠]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎: 𝐄𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠

TW: Mention of alcohol.

"I got quite a bit of work done," Aurelia smiles as we walk down the outside library steps.
It's noon now and the weather has certainly gotten nicer since a few hours ago. The sun stands high in the sky as strong as ever and there is no longer a chill in the air.

"I nearly finished my ethics paper. I just need to edit it a bit."

"I could take a look at it later." "That would be ... " Aurelia's voice drifts off until she finally says, "Great," in a sad whisper.

"What's wrong?" I ask. "Did something happen?"

Aurelia squeezes her eyes in anguish. She angrily kicks a pebble in our path and says, "I'm so stupid." I just stare at her, confused. She was so happy and settled at the library. I have no idea what suddenly happened.

Believe it or not, but Aurelia and I got a lot of studying done.

Back at home, I always had a difficult time doing schoolwork with friends around. Even if they were as studious as me, I still couldn't concentrate as well as if I were at home.

I'd be lying if I said Aurelia didn't make me feel the same way. Only, this was a different kind of distraction. I felt peaceful and calm when I was with her, so in a way, I was feeling better than when I study alone. I just couldn't help sneaking glances at Aurelia while she struggling to work through her math problems. She just looked so pretty, her hair bouncing on her shoulders while she wrote and the sun made her skin look as soft as silk.

I could have stayed there forever.

"I'm sorry for taking up all your time," Aurelia sighs.
"That's what this is about?" I ask. "It wasn't a burden, Aurelia," I can't help but laugh. "I enjoyed studying together. Really I did."

"But you didn't get to hang out with any of the other girls," she says, followed by another sigh.

I stop walking. She stops a few steps ahead of me and turns to look at me. "I like spending time with you," I confess. "You make me feel ... " I move my hands around struggling to find the words.

"Elysian," I finally say. My cheeks start getting hot and I start to hate my choice of word.

"What does that mean?" Aurelia asks with the smallest smile on her face.

"Peaceful," I quickly say, using the most simple definition of the word to keep it simple. Beautiful. Heavenly. All words of how I feel with her. But I can't just tell her that, straight up. I'd sound ... well, I'd sound pathetic. "I mean, I just feel good with you," I explain.